The Internet is not your BFF; the Internet is your Mom. Advice for undergraduates to create their online presence and clean up digital dirt.

1. PERSONAL BRANDING FOR
UNDERGRADUATES:
HOW TO MARKET
YOURSELF ONLINE
Suna Gurol
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
June 12, 2012

2. Introduction
Suna Gurol
•MA in Communication in Digital Media, University of
Washington, 2011
•Lead Web Producer, Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center since 2003
•Social media at Center since 2008

3. Outline
• What is online personal branding?
• Social media channels
• Tips on what not to do
• Dumb tales of woe
• Do this!
• Questions?

4. THE INTERNET IS NOT YOUR BFF.
The internet is your Mom.

5. So, what do you want your Mom to
say about you?
• What makes you stand out from others (besides your general
awesomeness)?
• What do people say about you when you aren’t around?

6. Personal branding – what is it?
• Think of how you want to present yourself.
• Tell your own story.
• Think of yourself as a brand.
• Market yourself.
• Realization - You control
your own image.
• Realization – You need to have
an online presence.

7. Old days of networking
• Curriculum Vitae
• Professors
• Friends and colleagues
• Alumni
• Friends and relatives of colleagues

8. But now…
• Majority of careers recruiters are using the
internet to review job candidates. New survey from
Jobvite reports that this year 92% of U.S.
companies are using social networks and media to
find new job candidates.
• Many admissions committees are Googling
applicants. Or if they aren’t then alumni
interviewers may.

9. Social networks

10. Each online social
channel has a different flavor
• Facebook – For friends/family.
• LinkedIn – Professional network.
Very important to have.
• Twitter – Builds a voice. But needs to be
maintained.
• Wordpress / Blogger – Creating a blog. Use
it to keep a record of your important papers,
projects. Can be a sort of capstone project.
• Others – Slideshare, Pinterest, Google+, Flickr

11. Don’t!
• Don’t use a cutesy nickname for your
social profiles or email address.
“@WaterSkiNut” or
“dummie420@email.com” doesn’t say
‘I’m a serious person.”
• Don’t bite off more than you can chew.
Don’t join every social network or start a blog
if you can’t maintain it. (How many
abandoned 8th grade diaries are there out there?)
• Don’t post or allow yourself to be tagged in photos in
compromising situations. (Remember Mom).
• Don’t lie. Really. You will get caught. Or caught in the cover
up of the lie. Which is worse.

12. Don’t!
• #1 Don’t –
Don’t complain about your
job/co-workers/BOSS online!
Stick to safe subjects to complain about – (weather,
traffic, the Mariners)

13. Dumb

14. Dumber

15. Dumbest

16. Yes, do!
• Do have a professional online
presence – At the very least:
• LinkedIn profile
• A blog/website with links
to publications, papers
• Facebook profile that is
semi-professional
• Do use your real name.
• Do develop your online network – connect with professors,
colleagues.
• Ask for recommendations
• Reciprocate! Follow people back on Twitter, comment on other
blogs, recommend each other on LinkedIn.
• Follow your interests! They will follow you back.

17. More things to do
• Do develop your online network –
connect with professors, colleagues.
• Ask for recommendations
• Reciprocate! Follow people back
on Twitter, comment on other blogs0
, recommend each other on LinkedIn.
• Follow your interests! Follow interesting people.
They may follow you back.

18. Still more do’s
• Do set boundaries.
• Do Google yourself … and
• Do clean up any digital dirt
before you apply to jobs, schools.
• Do remember that everything on the Internet can
live forever.
• Do (try) to think before you post!
• Do be relevant, timely.
• Do make non-professional networks (Facebook)
somewhat professional.
• Do show your leadership.

19. Exercise
• Review my online personal branding
• Let’s Google/Bing someone! Volunteer
please!

20. Good job! Questions?

21. Credits
• Usage Of Social Media Sites For Recruitment Continues To Grow According To Survey of 1,000+
HR Pros. http://
shakerrecruitment.ning.com/profiles/blogs/usage-of-social-media-sites-for-recruitment-continues-to-grow
• Social media can affect your college dreams http://
seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2014424681_social08.html
• Social media and college admissions.
http://theivycoach.com/the-ivy-coach-blog/college-interviews/social-media-and-college-admissions
/
• 11 tips for using social media to find your next job
http://memeburn.com/2012/07/11-tips-for-using-social-media-to-find-your-next-job/
• Social Media Cost Me My Jobttp://
blog.hudsonhorizons.com/Article/Social-Media-Cost-Me-My-Job.htm

22. Suna Gurol
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
E 1: sgurol@fhcrc.org
E 2: sunagurol@gmail.com
W: http://sunagurol.com
L: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sunagurol
T: @SunaG
Thank you Harry Hayward!